


You & I

by blueninjasharpshooter



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Moving On, Mutual Pining, Past Character Death, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Post S8, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 09:29:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19903525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueninjasharpshooter/pseuds/blueninjasharpshooter
Summary: And if you want to cry, I am here to dry your eyes and in no time, you’ll be fine.Years after Allura's death, Lance is still struggling to move on, and his growing feelings for Keith aren't making things any easier. Luckily, he has some great people to help him out along the road to recovery, including the mullet-head himself.





	You & I

**Author's Note:**

> My piece for The Stars Align Klance zine! It was truly a marvellous opportunity to be apart of this project, and all of the contributors did an absolutely amazing job. Make sure to check out the other works and download the full zine for free through Tumblr @thestarsalign-klancezine!

Lance had been sitting there for two hours, fiddling with a freshly picked juniberry stem between his fingers.

He couldn't make it all the way out to the New Altea to visit Allura's statue, so he had to settle for the memorial gravestone they'd set up on earth. 

It was only a short walk away from the farm, perfect distance to be able to visit whenever he'd felt the need. At first, the need had been a lot. Almost daily, in fact. He'd been getting better, though. Slowly but surely, and now he could go months at a time without facing the overwhelming urge to visit.

Lance used to go there crying, asking what on earth he could have possibly done to deserve this, begging her to come back and save him from the pain of loneliness. Over time, over the course of his healing process, he'd started showing up simply to chat when things got a bit hectic back home.

That wasn't his reason today, though. There were no crazy stories to share about his annoying siblings or his impossibly energetic niblings. No, today was different. 

Today he had to talk to her about something very important. Something that he'd been putting off for way too long.

The sun, that had been high in the sky at his arrival, was now setting into the horizon, painting the sky pink and orange. His mama never liked it when he stayed out past dark. 

"I should probably stop stalling," Lance mumbled to himself. 

"Okay," He starts, hands shaking from nerves. "Um, Allura, I-" Deep breath. "I don't know if I can do this anymore."

He groans, leaning forward until his forehead nocks against the cold gravestone. "I just- I've been feeling really lonely lately. And I know that I have my family around me all the time, and I'm so grateful for that. I love them so much but," He takes another soothing breath, using the time to calm the thoughts racing wildly through his mind. "I really miss the team."

He gets no response. It's not like he was expecting one but, hey, you never know. Altean magic could do some crazy shit.

"They all come to visit every once and a while. But they're all just so busy and far away. Especially Kei-"

"Lance!" The booming voice made him jump and smack his forehead painfully against the rock-hard gravestone. "Lance!" It yells again.

The boy in question swerves around, ready to grab a stick from beside him to use as a weapon in case this mystery name-caller happened to be dangerous. 

When he turns around, though, the only person he can see is Shiro with a warm smile on his face.

He sighs in relief, happy to know that he didn't need to defend himself from attackers. Yet, a bit of disappointment crawls inside him when the fact that he hadn't recognized Shiro's voice registers in his mind. 

God, when was the last time he saw Shiro? When was the last time he saw anyone outside his family? Two, maybe three months? Didn't matter, either way, it was way too long to go without seeing his friends. His  _ team. _

Nevertheless, he brushes the thought away. There’s no time to dwell on that at the moment. "Shiro you scared me," He says, a smile on his face. Whether it may have been forced or not, a smile is a smile.

"I saw that," Comes Shiro's reply. He walks slowly over to greet Lance, his expression melting from happiness to worry as he sits down at his side.

"What are you doing here?" Lance was almost certain he was the only one who actually visited the earth memorial. The others were usually okay with the occasional once or twice a year stop at the statue.

Which brings up the point, why was Shiro here? It couldn't possibly be to see him. "Did you come to talk to Allura? I can go if you want."

"What?" Shiro says, face scrunching up in confusion. "No, I actually came here to talk to you. I went to the farm first, your Mom sent me out here."

Lance scoffs. "Me?" Yeah, right. Why on earth would Shiro need to see him? Unannounced, at that.

"Yeah, you," Shiro replied like it was obvious. "Keith called last night and said he was coming to visit for a few weeks. Unfortunately, Curtis and I are really busy with the whole adoption process thing right now, so he wouldn't be able to stay with us like he did last time." 

_ Last time. _ Lance tries not to think too hard about what had happened last time Keith visited. It was the root of his problem; the very thing he desperately needed to discuss with Allura. 

Slowly, Shiro continues, "I was wondering if it would be okay if he stayed at yours."

The first thing Lance wants to say is  _ of course. _ He would be more than willing to have Keith stay at his place. Obviously, that's a bit more of his parents choice than his to make, but he knows that they'd be more than okay with Keith over for a visit. They loved spoiling whoever came over to see Lance whenever. Anybody that could put a smile on their baby boy's face was more than welcome to their home.

When Lance was still heavily mourning the loss of Allura, Keith was the one who brought light to the situation. Keith was the only one that could cheer Lance up and make him feel normal. Keith meant so much to him. He sure did show him that the last time he visited. With that in mind, he hesitates.

"Lance?" Shiro asks, reeling Lance back to present time.

"Huh? Sorry, Shiro. Um, I'm not sure if it's a good idea Keith stays over, y' know..." He trails off, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. 

"Don't do that," Shiro says. Before Lance can ask him what he means, Shiro continues. "Lance, you know it's okay to move on right?"

Lance sits up straight at that, utterly baffled by Shiro's words. "What?" He spits out. Move on? From what? What did  _ that  _ have to do with Keith staying over? Shiro couldn't possibly mean move on from what happened last time, there was no way Lance could do that. Not yet, anyway. Then again, what the hell else could that mean?

"Lance, look. I know how hard it can be when someone you love passes on. I had to go through that too, with Adam. But, you can't just sit around and be isolated all the time, mourning can't always be used as an excuse." He takes a shuddering breath. "Allura wouldn't want you to be alone Lance, she'd want you to move forward. To be happy."

Steady streams of tears roll freely down Lance's cheeks. "How would you know?" Lance's voice is wobbly as more tears cloud his vision. "How would you know what she wants?"

Curse Shiro for being able to read him that well, to see the way Lance felt when even Lance himself had been refusing to acknowledge it. 

"If you died, would you want Allura -or hell, Keith- to just sit around moping all day or would you want them to continue on with their lives and be happy?"

Lance's sadness converts quickly to defensiveness. "What does this have to do with Keith?" He sneers, voice husky and tired.

Shiro can do nothing but sigh in defeat. Any and all ideas of subtly had officially been thrown out the window. "Lance, we all know that you have feelings for him, it's painfully obvious, but that's not the point. It's time to move forward." 

"I-" Lance starts. He wipes a few stray droplets away from his eyes with the end of his sleeve, letting out a broken breath he didn't know he'd been holding in. "I don't know how."

Shiro nods his head in understanding. It's a small gesture, but it brings Lance more comfort than anything else had for a while. 

Shiro places his metal arm on Lance's shoulder, looking him in the eye as he speaks. "You can start by having Keith over. You're a smart kid, I'm sure you'll be able to figure it all out from there."

"You're positive she'd be okay with this?"

"Absolutely," He says, shooting Lance a friendly smile. It makes Lance feel supported, makes him truly realize that he isn't alone in this whole mess. He has a group of people that are right there with him to carry what's been weighing him down. No matter how far apart they are physically, they will always be there for one and other.

No further words are needed. Silently, Shiro stands and walks back the way he came. 

Lance follows soon after, feeling like all the pressure that had been building up had been lifted off his shoulders. Feeling like a whole new person. Feeling free.

\---

It had been three weeks since Shiro had given him the talk about moving on. Lance was getting nervous, to say the least. Keith was supposed to be at his house in less than an hour, and even with weeks of notice, he felt unprepared. 

Lance quickly checked his outfit over in the mirror for what must have been the thousandth time that day, before doing another full sweep of the house to check and make sure that everything was absolutely perfect. 

He'd cleaned the house furiously. Every surface had most likely been dusted and washed down at least ten times. He was an anxious cleaner, an old habit he'd picked up during their years in space that he'd yet to get rid of.

He could remember the looks Keith used to give him whenever he was caught with a broom or cloth in his hand. At first, they were confused and borderline judgmental, full of sharp eyes, furrowed brows and adorable pouty lips. Over the years, Lance could have sworn they'd morphed to being almost... fond. 

He wonders briefly if Keith will give him that same look this time around, but quickly shoves the idea out of his mind. 

The house, thankfully, seemed to be in order. All of Sylvio and Nadia's toys had been tucked away. He'd made sure to pick up all the dirty laundry lying around the house. He'd even gone as far as attempting to bake oatmeal cookies early in the day, letting the sweet aroma cover the stench of cleaning products that lingered around the house.

Oatmeal cookies were Lance's favourite, as well as Keith's. It had been one of the first things they didn't disagree on way back during their first year away from earth. Lance wasn't a baker, not by a long shot, but he figured it was a little step he could overcome to make Keith happy. He really hoped Keith liked them.

With another glance at the clock, Lance is sent spiralling into another fit of nerves.

Keith should have been there by now. Should have knocked on the door over seven minutes prior. What if he'd decided not to come? What if he'd gotten hurt on the way back to earth?  _ Oh god,  _ what if he'd died!

The doorbell rings, once, twice, three times and Lance takes off sprinting to answer it.

With more than enough energy and effort, he yanks the door open, nearly taking the damn thing off its hinges in the process. 

Instantly, he's filled with relief.

Keith. Keith is here, in front of him. The relief vanishes instantly, replaced by fear because Keith is  _ here. _

Last time Keith was here was a disaster. 

It was a time filled with awkward conversations and hesitant touches. Lance was still trying to figure out his feelings at that point and Keith was not helping in the slightest. 

They'd been hanging out, just the two of them, playing video games and yelling about how much they were going to beat each other. It was normal, it was fun. It was probably the time Lance had felt the happiest since Allura had passed. Keith had a way of doing that.

For someone as rough around the edges and passive-aggressive as Keith, one would have thought he'd be pretty bad at comfort and dealing with the emotions of other people. But he wasn't, not with Lance at least.

Lance didn't really understand it, hadn't at the time at least, there was just something about Keith that made him feel... safe. Made him feel welcome and accepted. No matter how much they fought, Lance knew he could always count on Keith to be there when he needed company.

Keith was his best friend, but so much more than that at the same time. 

Lance had made a dumb mistake, though. One that had the power to ruin the friendship they'd built together. 

Maybe it wasn't entirely his fault, he'd just been too caught up in the moment, but that didn't change the fact that it was disastrous. One thing led to another, and the next thing he knew Lance was leaning in. Getting progressively closer and closer until- they were kissing. 

It hadn't lasted long, despite how much Lance may have wanted it to. He knew deep down that Keith probably hadn't felt the same and, at the same time, Lance had even still been questioning whether he was allowed to feel that way. Who is he kidding, he still was. 

It wasn't the kiss that had messed things up, though. 

Maybe they could have talked about it like the adults they were, maybe things would have ended up worse that way. Lance had no way to be certain about what might have happened if he had stayed, the thing was that he didn't. Like a coward, he'd run away, and he hadn't talked to Keith since.

That had been  _ months  _ ago. Too long, really. 

Now it was time to face what happened. It was time to face Keith.

"Hey, Keithy-boy, long time no see," Lance says, rushed and panicked. He feels pathetic as his stomach swells with adoration and floods with butterflies when Keith graces him with a smile in response.

It's nothing like the smiles he'd gotten used to seeing. 

Not one of the fake I-was-forced-to-come-to-this-party-and-will-get-yelled-at-if-I-don't -pretend-to-be-nice-for-ten-minutes smiles. Or one of the ones he showed when he used to tell the team he was  _ fine  _ when he absolutely was not.

No, this smile was genuine and damn beautiful. Lance wanted to take a picture and frame it on his wall. But, well, that'd be creepy. 

"Hey, Sharpshooter. I've missed you." Lance nearly dies on the spot. It's going to be a long couple of weeks.

\---

"You didn't get me an air mattress?" Keith asks, staring blankly at Lance's empty floor.

"Uh, oops?" Lance shrugs, lips twisted into a nervous grimace.

It was not an oops. He'd very consciously made that decision. Maybe it was a little selfish and definitely weird, but he missed cuddles and he missed Keith. So, why not kill two birds with one stone.

After what happened last time they'd hung out, sure, maybe it wasn't the best idea he'd ever come up with. So what, he was more of battle-strategist than a real-life one. A glance at his dating history could tell you that.

If Keith really wasn't comfortable with it, Lance would go straight down to the basement to get the boy a damn mattress. But he couldn't help but hope that his mistake wouldn't change anything and that, maybe, he'd have a chance to hold Keith in his arms. 

Huh, seems now Lance was the one obsessed with cradling. Oh, how the tables had turned.

\---

Keith didn't end up asking for a mattress. He'd stumbled over his words adorably and told Lance that it was fine and that he'd be more than okay with sharing a bed.

Lance was glad.  _ Very glad.  _ All was good. Until it wasn't.

"Keith, buddy, you can't wear your clothes to bed," Lance says, glaring at Keith's stupid skinny jeans. 

Damn, if he didn't look good in those jeans. Lance had been more than happy to see Keith wearing them earlier, but wearing them now, to bed, not a chance. "There is no way that's comfortable. I thought you would have dropped that habit by now."

Keith rolls his eyes, crossing his arms grumpily over his chest. "Would you prefer me to be naked?" 

It was made very clear that Keith was kidding, but still, Lance's cheeks  _ burn _ .

"That- that is not what I meant." He stammers out. 

That would be worse, so much worse.

"Yeah, sure," Keith replies, chuckling hotly under his breath. "What do you suggest I do then? Boxers?"

There's a pregnant pause as Lance's eyes darted around the room, searching for an answer. Clothes and boxers were both bad choices for completely different reasons. 

There was no way in hell he'd be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing Keith was lying right next to him nearly naked. But,  _ jeans. _ No.

"Um, I have an extra set of Pj's, if you'd like?" Lance suggests, grabbing a red flannel set from his drawer.

"Sounds good," Keith says. Lance could have sworn he saw Keith's cheeks turn a matching shade of pink.

\---

After they'd both gotten into their sleepwear and brushed their teeth, they awkwardly climb into bed, struggling to get comfortable. Turns out, Lance's mattress wasn't exactly big enough to fit two people properly. Shame.

They knock limbs and scratch arms and there are quite a few strings of curses that flow freely from Keith's mouth before they finally settle down.

They're close, much closer than Lance had expected them to be. Their chests are mere inches away from connecting and Lance can feel small puffs of Keith's breath hitting his chin. 

It's exhilarating and nerve-breaking and everything Lance had wanted for the past who knows how long.

He could smell Keith’s gorgeous scent from where he was lying. It may be silly, but Lance had to admit he'd missed it; his odd, alien- shampoo mixed in his natural earthy scent and that refreshing hint of cinnamon. 

He can see Keith, too. The upper part of his chest had been left exposed due to the loose shirt, granting Lance the opportunity to ogle the various scars that litter his skin. 

Then he meets Keith's eyes, which are tired but still violet as every, glittering like someone shoved galaxies within his irises. 

Lance can see his chapped lips and his perfect skin which, despite going unnurtured and properly cared for, was flawless. 

He's beautiful, and Lance wants to kiss him. He wants to kiss him so bad that he has to dig his fingernails into his thighs to restrain himself from leaning in further than he already had. 

He and Keith still haven't talked, not really. 

They'd had small conversations over dinner and dived into a bit of banter here and there, but they had yet to discuss anything in detail in regards to their personal lives.

As far as Lance was concerned, Keith might have found someone while he was away. Keith might be  _ taken _ . Fuck, Keith might be in a relationship and Lance had been just about to kiss him. 

It's that thought that forces his eyes away from Keith's face and random words out of his mouth.

"How have your missions been going?" Lance asks. It's hard to miss the bitterness that manages to leak into his voice. The stupid thought about Keith no longer being single is an awful one. Lance would be crushed if he were to find out he'd missed his chance.

"It's going alright," Keith grins. "The girls are really proving themselves to be helpful members of the team."

That manages to grab Lance's attention. "Girls?" The hell was Keith doing with girls?

He tries to ignore the chuckle Keith lets out, this time loud for him to hear. Not only is it judgmental but also damn adorable and Lance is done dealing with that for the day. 

"Lotor's generals? They're pretty cool." Keith says with a small knowing smirk that Lance pretends not to see.

Those girls, right. Lance is partially ashamed of the relief he feels crashing down on him like a wave.

"Have any fun stories to share?" Lance asks. He would gladly listen to any story Keith had to tell, no matter how awful or boring they were. He missed the sound of Keith's voice, sue him.

"Yes," Keith says, calm and collected. "But I'll wait for another time to tell you those. I was thinking, maybe we could focus on you right now."

Lance narrows his eyes into thin slits. He's quite confused and taken aback, but still completely willing to listen to whatever Keith has to say.

"Ever since Allura died you've been different. We've all seen it, I'm sure you have too. I know Shiro already talked to you, but I also know how awful of an experience it can be to have to move on from someone you've lost." He closes his eyes tight, mentally preparing for the conversation to come. "It was hard for me when my dad passed away. I was crushed and alone, going through a shit ton of denial. I did a lot of things I regret during that time, I would never want you to go through the same thing." The way Keith says it, voice laced with worry and concern, sends a pang of guilt straight through Lance's fragile heart. 

"Back in space you were always so talkative, you made jokes, you smiled, you-" Keith pauses to grab Lance's hands, squeezing them tight. It's- it's grounding. It's perfect. Having warm hands within his own makes Lance feel so much less alone. It was the form of support he'd always needed but had never received at the cold stone of Allura's grave. Yet, there was Keith, giving him what he desired without prompting. 

"You were you back then," Keith continues. "Now, I don't know. It's not the same. You're like a shell of your former self."

Lance knows what he means. He had noticed too, and he hates it. But, he doesn't know how to fix it. He doesn't know how to let go of the past. He'd been trying so hard to do so, especially after his talk with Shiro, but it's difficult. Nearly impossible.

"You're doing a lot better, I can tell. Last time I visited you were so quiet. It's amazing, really. I used to think you'd never shut up." It sounds like it's supposed to be a joke with the way he says it, but Lance can tell that there's disappointment being masked by a false tone. "You don't talk like you used to." 

He can practically hear the words Keith doesn't say. He hears it all, loud and clear, and it  _ hurts _ .

Fat tears roll down his face, snot building up in his nose. Lance hadn't even realized he was crying until he feels Keith's calloused hand against his cheek, brushing the tears away.

Then, the words are out there. The ones Lance never wanted to have to hear. "I miss you," Keith whispers into the small space between them. 

Lance nods numbly in response, no words could escape his wobbling lips. 

Keith sighs and rests his forehead against the Cuban's own. With his finger, he tilts Lance's head up, urging them to meet eye to eye. Keith needs to make sure that Lance understands what he's trying to say completely. "Truth is, I didn't come down just for a visit. I- well, it's been my goal for a while, but we've never really gotten around to doing it, especially last time. Which we can talk about later, if you’d like. But that aside, Lance, I'm here because I want to help you get better."

"How?" Lance croaks out. "I've been trying for so long but I can't-" Can't move on, can't stop hurting, can't make the pain of the past disappear already. He wants it gone. He wants to think back to his times with Allura and be filled with happiness. Not dread, not emptiness.

"Shh, I know," Keith says calmly. His fingers thread carefully through the smooth locks of Lance's hair in a way that has Lance melting in his arms. 

When had Keith gotten so  _ good. _

"I'm here for you. We can talk more tomorrow. For now, I think it'd be best if we get to sleep."

Through snot, tears and harsh breaths, Lance manages to speak. "I don't know what's more surprising, you taking care of me and being all nice and soft, or you admitting that you need to sleep," He teases, his signature smirk making a long overdue appearance. 

Keith snickers at that, Lance doesn't think he could ever get used to hearing that. Screw the picture of his smile, what Lance needed was a recording of his laugh. A combination of the two wouldn't hurt either.

"Yeah, I definitely used to train a little more than I should have."

"A little?" Lance scoffs. "Keith, I had to drag you to your bed one time at three in the morning because you refused to call quits."

"Huh," Keith yawns, Lance following soon after. "I nearly forgot about that."

"Oh yeah sure. Just like how I forgot our 'bonding moment'."

"So you do remember?" Keith whisper-yells, mindful of the other people in the house who are more than likely fast asleep.

"Nope. Don't remember. Didn't happen."

"Lance!" Keith tries to complain, but the boy in question had somehow already managed to fall fast asleep.

\---

That night Lance dreams of the future.  _ His _ future. Or at least, what he hopes it'll be.

Within the wildness of his dream, he wakes up to the feeling of a kiss being pressed delicately against his nose, warm arms wrapped snugly around his waist. When he looks to see who the lips and arms belong to, he comes face to face with none other than Keith, that damn soft smile plastered across his perfect face.

"Morning, baby," He greets as if it was a totally normal thing to do. "Ready for breakfast?"

Lance is pleasantly surprised and completely overcome with childlike joy when Keith scoops him up in his arms to carry him downstairs like a princess as Lance nods his head yes.

The day that follows -the one that happens solely in his head that he badly wanted to be real- was absolutely perfect.

Dream-Keith made him a delicious breakfast; sausage and pancakes shaped like hearts. He's an amazing cook, something Lance hadn't quite expected but was more than glad to discover. They clean the dishes together too. It was a chore Lance had hated doing since he was little, but with Keith, it's a whole new experience.

Then, they'd showered together and gotten ready for the day. It was intimate in all the best ways and so damn domestic, it's- he loved it. Lance especially loves when he's blessed with the opportunity to braid Keith's hair.

He'd been waiting literal years for that opportunity, and finally, that wish had been granted.

The morning itself was astonishing, but the day kept going, getting better and better the more time passed.

They'd laughed and hugged and kissed. They'd gone on a mission. In blade uniforms, Lance might add. He hadn't even realized they were in space before that happened. They'd even gotten the chance to help and greet people from one of the planets they'd saved. Lance hadn't realized how much he missed doing so until he got the chance to do it once more. 

Above all else, they'd had fun. And they did it all together.

Lance wanted that. Wanted it so  _ so _ damn badly.

If he were to go see a fortune teller, he could only hope that that's what they'd show him as his future.

Too soon, the dream comes to an end. Keith had just given him a passionate kiss goodnight and curled up on Lance's side when the image begins to fade from Lance's mind.

\---

He shoots up from his bed with a gasp, his eyes darting around frantically as he readjusts to reality. 

He's alone in his room, making him momentarily wonder if he'd dreamed about Keith visiting too. But, the thought is dismissed when he sees those stupid skinny jeans Keith had been wearing the day before crumpled up on the ground.

_ God, that dream.  _

After finally slowing his heartbeat down to a normal pace, he takes a minute to walk around his room, looking at the posters and polaroids that decorate the walls that had been left forgotten for so long. 

They tell stories and share memories of times where Lance was happier. When Lance was himself, as Keith had said the night before.

He scans over the decorations individually, taking a moment to admire each one on its own. The pictures of him and Hunk through various stages of growing up, the Beyonce posters that he'd had pinned up since his thirteenth birthday. There are even several drawings that Sylvio and Nadia had made for him. 

There's one picture in particular that draws the majority of his attention, though. A Polaroid taken a few weeks after their return to earth of him and Keith, smiling and playing cards in his hospital bed.

Lance misses those days. Not the hospital part, of course. That was exceptionally crappy; being stuck in his stuffy room all day without access to his skincare products was pure torture. Being with Keith though? Hanging out and having fun? Yeah, he sure as hell missed that.

With one last longing look at the photo, Lance makes his way out of his bedroom and down the stairs to get some food.

He can smell it from the top floor, the sweet scent of sausage and pancakes. His morning had officially been blessed.

He'd assumed his mama had started breakfast early. After all, she was pretty much the only one in the house that bothered to cook. But he's pleasantly surprised to see that it's instead Keith who's standing at the stove.

"Hey," Keith greets. Only briefly does he look up from the food to glance at Lance but he doesn't mind. It was more than enough time for him to cherish the mess of hair on Keith's head. "I'm almost done with the sausages, would you mind setting the table?"

"Is mama eating with us?" Lance asks when Keith hands him three plates instead of the two he assumed he'd receive.

"Yeah. She had some errands to run, but promised she'd be back before it got cold," Keith says. 

Lance nods, taking his seat at the table, Keith by his side. HIs stomach grumbles, reminding him of his hunger. He thanks Keith for the food before taking his first bite as the other boy does the same. 

He gets one bite in before his mind is brought back to his dream. 

The dream where he and Keith and shared a breakfast just like this.

The dream that he yearns to make a reality.

He's been given a way to achieve that, the opportunity dangling in front of him. He's had moments like this before, stressful times where he'd been faced with a life-altering decision. Most of those times he'd missed his chance, watching as it slipped between his fingers. That wasn't going to happen this time, though. He wouldn't let it.

"Keith, I want to get better. I wanna-" He blurts out, looking up to meet Keith's eyes. "I wanna be me again."

Keith blinks, shocked by the confession that was seemingly prompted out of nowhere. "Okay," He says softly. His voice is like a melody to Lance's ears, smooth and soothing. He wants to hear it on repeat for the rest of his life.

"You said you would help, right? What did you have in mind?"

Keith smiles and tucks a stray strand of hair behind his ear. Lance can see the remains of drool dried up on his chin and the crust lining his eyes. He looks beautiful, absolutely mesmerizing. People shouldn't have the right to look like he does in the morning.

"I figured we could start off by planting some flowers. The juniberries in the garden are beautiful, but could use some variation thrown in there, or else it just looks boring."

Lance chuckles, "Wow, Keith. I didn't take you as someone who paid that much attention to whether a batch of flowers looked pretty or not."

"I don't," Keith responds says with a breathy laugh. "I'm just repeating what your mom told me. She went off to get some sunflowers and put us in charge of planting them. She told me they were your favourite when you were little. So, you up for it?"

"Yeah, of course." Lance smiles, really  _ truly  _ smiles. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

Keith smiles back. 

**Author's Note:**

> _The song in the summary is "By Your Side" by Sade_
> 
> Holy crud it has been way too long since I've posted on here. I have so many fic ideas racing around in my head, it's just been a pain to sit down and try to write them out. I do plan and hope to have a few more fics out before the summer ends, so stay tuned.
> 
> Thank you for reading! :)


End file.
